Active f ire prevention and

very early smoke detection

already protect mil l ions of

books inside the British Library.

Newspapers wil l now experi-

ence the same protection.

Comprehensive

Fire Protectionwith

OxyReduct®

TITANUS®

VisuLAN®

Reference solution

Arch ive

Intelligent and state of the art fi re protection solutions are

being used to effectively protect the written treasures of

the British Library stored at Boston Spa, West Yorkshire.

T H E B R I T I S H L I B R A R Y

music scores and patents. About

seven million items are stored in the

Document Storage Centre in Boston

Spa, West Yorkshire. To meet the

ever-increasing stor age require-

ments, the centre was extended

from 2006 - 2008, fi rst with the

ADDITIONAL STORAGE PROGRAM

(ASP) project and then with the

NEWSPAPER STORAGE BUILDING

(NSB) project (completed 2014).

Today the centre is the world’s lead-

ing document supplier providing

items to customers all over the world.

Increasing the storage capacity

The £26m Additional Storage Pro -

gram was brought into service

in December 2008. In more than

100 km of shelving the UK’s “printed

treasures” are kept safe. The total

They belong to the greatest

written treasures in the world:

the Magna Carta, Leonardo da

Vinci’s Notebook, the Guten-

berg Bible, Beatles manuscripts

and the recording of Nelson

Mandela’s Rivonia trial speech.

They are not only of signifi cant

importance for our history, but

they are all stored in the British

Library – the national library of

the United Kingdom and one of

the largest libraries in the world.

The British Library was established

in London on 1 July 1973 and is

responsible for the safekeeping of

more than 150 million items in about

400 different languages in cluding

maps, manuscripts, news papers,

magazines, prints and draw ings,

storage capacity of 85,000 m³ is

split into two areas of 35,000 and

50,000 m³ each. In both areas books

– many historical – periodicals, maga -

zines and other mixed media are

stored in about 140,000 barcoded

plastic containers in auto mated high-

rack stores that reach 25 m high.

As robots retrieve containers the

need for personnel within the stor-

age area is eliminated. The £33m

Newspaper Storage Building was

successfully brought into service

during February 2014 after three

years of construction. It holds the

National Newspaper Collection and

contains newspapers from about

400 years ago. They are stored in

stacks on metal trays, which are re-

trieved automatically by a comput-

erised picking system.

The Additional Storage Program (ASP) at Boston Spa (West Yorkshire)

Keeping books, magazines and newspapers safe from

fi re and damage from sprinkler water by deploying

technology with lowest capital cost of ownership.

H I G H F I R E R I S K A N A LY S E D

The general risk for an outbreak of

a fi re inside an archive or document

store is normally low. Books and

newspapers are dry material and

cannot ignite themselves. For a

fi re to start it needs a source of

heat. Inside automated storage

build ings the electrical machinery

and equipment used can become

such a source.

A single fi re can have major

consequences

The problem is not about how

often an equipment fault causes

a fi re, but the consequences one

single fi re can have. The collec-

tions stored in Boston Spa are of

great historical value. They are

contemporary witnesses and intel-

lectual property of past centuries.

The British Library has the biggest

and largest collection in the UK

and one of the most impressive

collections in the world. Paper

itself is particularly vulnerable.

It burns quickly once alight.

The high-rack stores, with small

gaps between racks, provide

ideal conditions for the fl ames

to spread quickly. Rising fumes

heat goods in higher racks very

quickly; therefore fl ames can

reach the roof in no time. And

even a small amount of soot,

smoke and heat can contaminate

stored books and newspapers.

The fundamental problem with

conventional fi re detection sys-

tems is that a fi re has to start for

them to operate. Hence, the ideal

way to protect all valuable assets

is to minimise the time span be-

tween the start of a fi re and the

extinguishing. With the priceless

archives held in the British Library

this cannot be done by sprinklers.

The destruction caused by sprin-

kler water would be devastating.

So another fi re prevention solution

was needed – an effective solution

without potentially destructive

side effects.

T H E P R O T E C T I O N O B J E C T I V E

When it comes to fi re pro-

tection in the British Library

at Boston Spa the millions

of copies of newspapers and

books have top priority.

In case of a fi re not only

their value would be at risk.

Most of the items are unique

and can be traced back

hundreds of years into the

past. Items that are part of

the collective memory of the

19th, 20th and 21st century

could be destroyed forever.

Therefore, a water-based

extinguishing system was

no option, as it puts books,

magazines and newspapers

in even greater danger.

Having had a good expe-

rience with OxyReduct®,

the active fi re prevention

system installed in the

Additional Storage Program

by WAGNER, the British

Library again decided to

use WAGNER’s solutions

for the Newspaper Storage

Building. However, the

client requested improve-

ment in the running costs

compared to the Additional

Storage Program because

of modern whole life costs

building regulation require-

ments in the UK.

Items of historical signifi cance need

optimum fi re protection.

Combined active fi re prevention and very early fi re

detection to protect written treasures effectively.

A P P R O V E D T E C H N I Q U E I N S E R V I C E

Active fi re prevention for the

Additional Storage Program

The Additional Storage Program

with its two areas that total up

to 85,000 m² has been protected

by WAGNER’s OxyReduct® tech -

nology as well as TITANUS® and

VisuLAN®. This combination of

active fi re prevention, earliest fi re

detection and a hazard manage-

ment system leads to a broad and

effective fi re protection solution.

OxyReduct’s® fi re prevention

membrane technology reduces

the oxygen content in both areas

inside the automated high-bay

storage. This is done by contin-

uously introducing nitrogen to both

areas. The oxygen concentration

is therefore constantly lowered to

between 14.8 - 15 vol%.

This creates an atmosphere that

is extremely fi re retardant. With

an automated retrieval system,

no staff are required to enter the

storage areas. Therefore, the

pro tection system was designed

with a lower oxygen content

compared to normal breathing

air, which con tains 20.9 vol%.

However, both areas remain ac-

cessible by staff – even with the

reduced level of oxygen.

To optimise both the storage and

the fi re protection systems the

temperature and the relative hu -

midity are kept at constant levels

of 16 ºC (+/-1 ºC) and 52 % humid-

ity (+/- 5 %). The nitrogen used

for the oxygen reduction is gener-

ated via a membrane and distrib-

uted through a pipe system.

In addition 18 TITANUS PRO·SENS®

air sampling smoke detection sys-

tems were integrated into the fi re

protection design.

In an event of fi re the TITANUS®

units recognise even the smallest

pyrolysis particles as it actively

takes samples from the ambient air.

In contrast to point-type detectors,

which can be limited in their envi-

ronmental application, TITANUS®

has a higher sensitivity – leading

to quick and reliable fi re detection.

In the hazard management sys-

tem VisuLAN® both fi re protection

systems are linked together. By

integrating both systems into the

management system, all relevant

information can be monitored at

a central location. From there ap-

propriate actions can be initiated.

ADDITIONAL STORAGE PROGRAM (ASP)

Energy optimised concept for the new built storage.

L E A D I N G T E C H N O LO G Y N E W LY A P P L I E D

32

Fire prevention system in combination

with air sampling smoke detection

system

The OxyReduct® VPSA fi re prevention

system reduces the oxygen level

inside the automated high-bay storage.

Sensors positioned at different heights

monitor the oxygen concentration and

report the data to the control centre.

TITANUS® air sampling smoke detectors

actively take air samples and can therefore

detect fi res as early as their pyrolysis stage.

3

2

1

Activity inside the NSB Support Building

1. Newspapers from British Library Colin-

dale are temporarily stored in roll cages in-

side the NSB support building and are then

transferred on roll cages on trays at any of

eight work stations; stacks of newspaper

cannot be higher than 400 mm.

2. Once stacks are placed in position on trays,

they are secured between steel cover plates

using straps and buckles.

3. The tray, laden with newspapers, is then

recorded into the computerised warehouse

management system and is then physically

ingested, via conveyors, through air-tight

transfer lobbies into the low oxygen, tempera-

ture and humidity controlled void space.

Effi cient and cost effective: fi re

protection solution inside the

Newspaper Storage Building

With a good experience of

OxyReduct® in mind, the British

Library chose to deploy the

OxyReduct® active fi re prevention

system inside the Newspaper

Storage Building. The building

with a footprint of 2,200 m² and

INSTALLAT ION LAYOUT OF THE AUTOMATED H IGH-BAY STORAGE

1

volume of 45,000 m³ was built in

strict accordance with WAGNER’s

recommendations – to ensure for

the very best conditions for active

fi re protection. The air tightness of

the building as well as the HVAC

systems, which works in a full recy-

cling mode, have been specifi ed.

Fast acting shutters on the interface

between support building and the

newspaper repository also incor-

porates products recommended

by WAGNER. The panels chosen

for the fabric of the buildings used

a proprietary sealing system and

a 4 hour fi re rating ITB compliant

with BS 5454. The building also

provides a n50 value of 0.0148.

This high density solution is a

combination used frequently in

NEWSPAPER STORAGE BUILDING (NSB)

4. The transfer of stacks of newspapers onto

trays is done manually; everything else is con-

trolled by software and done fully automated.

5. The conveyor transfer lobbies have fast-

acting air-tight shutters at each end which

prevent loss of low oxygen atmosphere

when trays laden with stacks transit through

the lobbies.

warehouse management but rarely

in archives and libraries. With a

fully automated storage system,

this solution was ideal for a high

standard fi re protection system

demanded by the British Library.

Continuous oxygen reduction

creates an infl ammable atmos-

phere

Four VPSA OxyReduct® systems

have been installed in the News-

paper Storage Building. The active

fi re prevention system reduces the

oxygen content by introducing

nitrogen to the area, at a rate of

approximately 240 m³/h. As staff

are not present within the fully auto-

mated high bay storage area the

oxygen concentration is continuously

lowered to a level between 14.8

and 15 vol%. This creates an atmos-

phere where stored combustibles

do not infl ame and an open fi re is

impossible. Nonetheless the area

still remains accessible for autho-

rised staff. In comparison: normal

breathing air contains 20.9 vol%

oxygen. Furthermore, for the pro -

tection of the newspapers the rela -

tive humidity is lowered to 35 - 40 %

and the temperature to between

12 and 14 ºC.

Nitrogen is gained from the

ambient air

The nitrogen required is not stored

in pressurised bottles, but produced

directly on-site from the ambient

air by generators with the latest

VPSA (Vacuum Pressure Swing

Adsorption) technology.

Under optimum conditions the

sys tem can generate energy sav-

ings of up to 80 % compared to

conven tional membrane systems.

INTERVIEW

Patrick Dixon

Head of Engineering &

Construction, British Library

OxyReduct® VPSA can therefore

be considered as particularly en-

ergy-effi cient and climate-friendly

as it reduces the running costs

for the British Library. The higher

investment costs of the VPSA

system is calculated to pay back

within two years.

In addition 16 TITANUS PRO·SENS®

earliest fi re detection systems as

well as the hazard management

system VisuLAN® were installed.

Like in the Additional Storage

Program TITANUS® is used to re-

cognise even the smallest pyrolysis

particles in the air. As it actively

takes samples from the ambient

air, the risk of a fi re being unno-

ticed is minimised signifi cantly –

for the maximum protection of the

stored newspapers in the building.

VisuLAN® monitors the complete

area and both fi re protection sys-

tems to take action if necessary.

Explore the world‘s knowledge

Control

range

15.2

15.0

20.9

Time [s]

Authorized access

O2 v

ol%

)

ON OFFN2-

generator:

ON OFF ON OFF ON OFF

The oxygen concentration inside both storage buildings

at Boston Spa has been decreased to approximately

15 vol%. OxyReduct ® constantly maintains that level.

What were the reasons for

choosing WAGNER again for

the protection of one of your

buildings?

WAGNER OxyReduct® was pre-

viously selected to protect our

Additional Storage Building on

the basis of lowest capital cost

for both fi re protection and the

overall size of the building. After

having had a good experience

with this system, we again chose

WAGNER.

What is the most important

protection goal for the British

Library?

To eliminate the risk of ignition or

fi re within our archives as far as

possible, at the lowest possible

cost of ownership. We have cho -

sen a system which also provides

remote monitoring and alarm data,

from a reputable and reliable

supplier.

Describe the importance of the

Additional Storage Program

and the Newspaper Storage

Building for the British Library.

The key importance: The ASP

houses 7 million volumes and

enables our 2-site property

strategy, together with the NSB

OxyReduct® with VPSA-technology

not only provides effective protection

but also on the basis of lowest capital costs.

„”

which is the new home of the

National Newspaper Collection

and contains over 664,000 bound

volumes on 32 km of shelves. Both

buildings are therefore unique, as

they contain a combination of an

automated high bay storage, includ-

ing storage and retrieval systems,

with environmental controls and

reduced oxygen fi re protection.

Why was VPSA-technology

chosen?

Because of the signifi cant energy

saving over membrane technology.

© W

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out and VisuLAN® for hazard management. www.wagner.eu